The Devil's Son and His Fated Bride
Chapter 49: A kiss

Chapter 49: A kiss

"So, you’re making me a gift."

His voice was slow, deliberate. A lazy kind of menace coiled through his words as he drifted closer, his fingertips grazing the edge of Rigo’s table. Ren stood frozen, her pulse hammering in her throat. He never showed anything, never let a damn thing slip. But now? Now his face was different. Twisted. Dark. Something wicked flickered behind his eyes, something vicious and unfamiliar.

What the hell had happened while she was gone? This wasn’t him. This wasn’t the man she knew. Had she ever really known him at all?

"What if I am?" she shot back, turning her attention to the glass vials before her. She gathered the ingredients she needed, hands moving with steady precision. The cologne would take hours to complete, and she was determined to finish before midnight, before retreating to the solitude of her room.

"Shouldn’t you be at the forge, crafting a silver weapon? Bringing me a vampire?" Her voice was clipped, businesslike, but edged with something sharp. "Or are you planning to stand here and shout at me when I cut that creature open?"

His expression shifted. That fierce, unreadable glare melted away, replaced by something softer, hesitation, maybe even guilt.

"Thank you," he said, his voice lower now. "For saving my second godson. And I’m... I’m sorry for judging you so quickly." He exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just, I don’t think I know you well enough to..."

"Trust me?" she finished for him.

He hesitated, then nodded.

Ren let out an exasperated sigh. "Alright, then. If you want to know me, let me help you."

A slow smile crept across his lips, something genuine breaking through the lingering shadows in his gaze. "Where do I start?"

She pointed to the jar of liquor on the shelf. "Extract the alcohol from that."

Reneira guided him through each step, her voice even as she gave instructions. And gods, was he a mess! He worked with reckless energy, his movements clumsy, hands stained with the scent of crushed herbs and distilled spirits. But his intellect? That, at least, was undeniable.

Ren turned to reach for the stone masher, her mind already on the next step, only to realize too late that it was on the uppermost shelf, just beyond her grasp. But before she could react, she veered around, only to crash into his solid chest. Oh no. Too close.

She was so bewildered that she didn’t even know how she retreated. Suddenly, her feet tangled over each other, pulling her backward. Her arms stretched out instinctively, knowing, no, believing that he wouldn’t catch her. Just like the time she fell off the carriage’s step and he just watched...

However, she was wrong.

In a swift movement, he clasped her, his right arm cradling the back of her skull, mere inches from the sharp edge of the shelf. He held her so tightly, his concern evident in his glittering eyes as they tracked her scared expression.

"Are you hurt?"

And all she could give him was silence, a heavy, deafening silence. She was too enchanted by his features, her mind spinning at how impossibly beautiful he was, radiating a warmth no sun could offer. She couldn’t resist it. A strong, invisible force pulled her to him, something that didn’t want to let go. No, something that wanted to kiss him, to taste him.

Her heart pounded like a war drum, the battle waging between her logic and her emotions. Why was he hers only on paper? Why wasn’t he bound to her in a way that would keep him dedicated, always?

Kai stared at her, squeezing her body against his. Oh, dear fucking gods. How could he resist the charm of his gorgeous wife? Even in this simple maiden’s clothing, she looked heartbreakingly exquisite. His heart ignited with heat again, and Shadow snarled within him.

Take her. She won’t die. I know! Kiss her, at least just kiss her!

The darkness within him kept ripping through his mind, revolting, trying to shatter his resolve. Could he hold on any longer? His gaze drifted to her rosy lips. Oh, damn. He wanted to kiss them, but that wasn’t enough, he craved to devour them. He wanted to suck on them, to slide his tongue into her mouth and taste every inch of her. This woman was unraveling him. His throat bobbed as his eyes darkened with the skittering desire that coursed through his veins.

Ren saw the longing in his eyes, but also sadness. A reason. A suppression that pulled him back from her. Before he could come out of his trance, her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him down. And then, her soft lips pressed against his.

It was her first kiss, the only one she had kept for the man she would fall in love with. And it shouldn’t be this man. Not him. She had never planned to fall for something inhuman. But if she fought it, she would never know how love tasted.

Kai’s eyes widened. Her lips were inexperienced, barely brushing against his, but still, Shadow stormed inside him. His veins pulsed, heat surging through him. Fucking hell. He was completely aroused by such a gentle touch.

Before he could make the biggest mistake of his life, before he could take her against the cold stone of this lab, he pulled back. He steadied her, licking his lips as if trying to swallow the taste of her kiss. This was impossible. Extraordinary. Fucking hot.

He had kissed countless women. He had used every depraved method to quench his anger. But never, never, had he felt like this. Just a simple peck, and his entire body, his soul, everything was set on fire. He rolled his eyes away. "Ah, I must go. I guess you can do the rest with Killa."

He didn’t wait for her answer. He simply vanished, leaving her standing there, feeling the ache of his absence. A pang of pain struck her heart.

"Did... I... disgust him?"

She muttered the words in shock, knowing what she had just done, deliberately. Had she disgraced herself? A shudder ran through her. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed onto the cold ground.

"What did I do?"

She touched her lips, scolding herself, as tears rolled down her flushed cheeks.

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